Leading Kent winemarker Chapel Down has revealed its new chief executive - but revealed another senior departure from its board.

The Tenterden-based vineyard has travelled a rocky road in previous months with its pre-tax profits for the first six months of 2024 tumbling by 98%, a hoped for takeover come to nothing and its share price slumping just last month.

It also saw its CEO, Andrew Carter, confirm he was to leave early in 2025 and its harvest for the year would be half of that the previous 12 months.

This week it has also confirmed its chief financial officer, Rob Smith, who joined the firm in September 2022 and oversaw its listing onto the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) this time last year, will also leave.

He has resigned from his post and will leave at the end of the current financial year, in April 2025.

However, Chapel Down has confirmed the arrival, as of February 1, of experienced wine executive James Pennefather as its new chief executive.

He’s worked in the premium drinks industry for more than 25 years, most recently as CEO of The Lakes Distillery Company which he led to a successful sale to the The Nyetimber Group earlier this year.

Chapel Down had admitted it was seeking a potential new buyer earlier this year with a view to it generating the cash to fund its ambitious expansion plans. Among them a controversial £32m winery near Canterbury.

Whether his experience in taking a company to market is again called upon, remains to be seen.

Martin Glenn, chairman of Chapel Down Group, said: “James is an outstanding business leader with deep experience in building premium drinks brands within emerging categories, developing strong customer relationships in the UK and globally and enhancing shareholder value.”

James Pennefather added: "Andrew leaves a strong legacy and I will be working closely with him and the Chapel Down management team to ensure a seamless transition."

Another member of the board has resigned too - non-executive director Stewart Gilliland.

Looking ahead, the board says it has “great confidence in the continued growth of the English wine region and Chapel Down's continued leadership within the industry”.

It says the 2024 harvest has been now been completed and that trading in the final quarter of the year “has been strong”.